This invention relates to the control of the video display of a television receiver. More particularly, the present invention concerns a device, adapted to be connected to the antenna terminals of a television receiver, which is capable of producing a color display including various image symbols, the positions of which can be selectively manipulated by a user. Such devices are of particular utility as entertainment devices, although they are not so limited.
It is desirable to enable television control devices to generate or include the necessary signals for color display in order to generate images which are more pleasing visually and which may vary in certain details as conditions vary. By the addition of color-carrying signals to other signals produced by an external control device, which may illustratively take the form of a game-playing apparatus, a standard color television receiver may present a playing field, the players, the playing piece, the score, and the background on the screen all in different colors. The colors may vary with time also. For example, as a player approaches triumph, the background color of the image may change from one color to another.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus by which a television control apparatus may provide for the generation of color-carrying signals.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method providing for color control which is responsive to changes in display image sequence and conditions.
Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for control and color information which is compatible with any standard television receiver where the sequence of images to be displayed which have differing colors is known or may be calculated prior to their display on the receiver.